Week 1 complete!

Hi everyone!

Well, after my enduring MRI that had me locked in to stretcher for 1 hour and 40 minutes.......1 day of chemo and 5 days of radiation.....week one is finally over! It certainly feels as though I have gotten over a hump but I know there is still so much more to endure and push through.

First off, I had an MRI scheduled last night for 9:15pm....seriously....we arrived around 8pm for registration and didn't leave the hospital until after midnight. Luckily for Mark, we gave him a well-deserved night off and he was able to catch up on his sleep and enjoy a beer with AJ while my parents took me. Thanks, Mom and Dad....you are so patient. :) I had to start an IV (again.........I am starting to look like a heroin junkie) for the "contrast" to enlighten my abdomen and pelvis. (The purpose of this follow-up was to get a better look at the "suspicious-looking" lymph nodes that showed up on my PET scan the week before.) My radiation oncologist doesn't expect anything different especially because we have already altered our radiation scope to include those lymph nodes. He just wants to be thorough.

So, who has had an MRI? Show of hands? Anyone? Bueller?..........I am sure all experiences are different but for me....let me paint you a picture: I was strapped down, with football pads over my chest and pelvis (hut, hut), I have huge headphones on (at least it had classical music coming through), an IV in my arm and was told that when the NOISE began, I couldn't move........imagine being strapped down, in a tunnel in the middle of a construction site for 100 minutes! It was not pleasant. (And I thought the PET scan was bad). The machine made so much noise my parents in the waiting room thought an alarm was going off all of the time and were very anxious...and my butt fell asleep...not fun.

And, to top it all off, I had managed not to vomit all week from chemo, radiation, exhaustion etc... but, the MRI made me very ill.........! Plus, there was only our nurse, radiology tech and a security guard left in the entire building when we left. I was a little sick this morning too when I woke up for my final radiation treatment of the week but I was so lethargic from the MRI maybe it was still due to that.

Other than all of this (no big deal, right?) I feel so tired all of the time. Walking up stairs is a challenge, I feel short of breath and am just wiped out. I have never felt such a loss of energy before and this will be a difficult adjustment.

So, the plan for the weekend: rest up, stay positive, read all of my People magazines (thanks, girls), hang out with friends and enjoy some sunshine for a change.

Love, Hugs and Good Health!

P.S. Go Cubs Go!